When Bernardini won the Preakness many believed he would be remembered as the answer to a trivia question.
Who won the race in which Barbaro broke down?
While Bernardini was crossing the finish line 5 1/4 lengths in front of his closest pursuer, all eyes were on Barbaro, standing in agony not far from the starting gate after sustaining a life-threatening injury to his right hind ankle at the outset.
In the intervening 5 1/2 months, Bernardini has turned out to be the kind of horse that thoroughbred aficionados had believed undefeated Barbaro was destined to become.
“I don’t think any horse can beat him,” jockey Javier Castellano said after taking another joyride on Bernardini when he met older horses for the first time on Oct. 7 and won the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup by 6 3/4 lengths.
Bernardini made a believer of trainer Nick Zito, who sent out the second- and third-place finishers.
“That’s the first time I almost clapped for a horse that beat me,” Zito said. “That horse has superstar credentials.”
Now comes the most challenging race of a brilliant career that began Jan. 7 with a dull fourth-place finish in a Gulfstream Park maiden race. To extend his subsequent winning streak to seven and clinch North American Horse of the Year honors in the process he must win America’s richest race, Saturday’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.
The field of 13 for the Classic is perhaps the most formidable since the inception of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984.
Bernardini’s most menacing adversaries are:
– Lava Man, invincible in seven starts in California this year and the first horse in history to win the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup and Del Mar’s Grade I Pacific Classic in the same year;
– Invasor, the Uruguayan Triple Crown winner who has won three straight Grade I races in the United States since being purchased by Sheik Hamdan al Maktoum, brother of Bernardini’s owner-breeder, Sheik Mohammed.
– George Washington, the 3-year-old from Ireland, is the horse Europe’s most successful trainer, Aidan O’Brien, describes as “the best” he has worked with during his brilliant 14-year career.
Also on the list of accomplished opponents are 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo and Flower Alley, last year’s Grade I Travers winner and Breeders’ Cup runner-up.
But in winning his six races by a total of 40 lengths, Bernardini has set the standard for excellence.
“We’ve had a great season so far and he looks like he’s on top of his game,” trainer Tom Albertrani said. “Hopefully, he’ll run the race that he always does.
“When you ask him he does everything you want him to. He has not had a horse come on even terms with him. That may never happen.”
While the 5-year-old gelding Lava Man was taken from the claiming race bargain basement by trainer Doug O’Neill for $50,000 at Del Mar in August 2004, Bernardini was bred to be a member of the thoroughbred elite. His sire, A.P. Indy, won the Belmont and Breeders’ Cup Classic en route to becoming 1992 Horse of the Year and his grandfather on his dad’s side is 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. His dam, Cara Rafaela, comes from a female family that’s thick in blue blood.
“From the day he was born, he was a very exciting proposition,” said John Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Sheik Mohammed. “He is very, very special. He’s just a dream to watch.”
O’Neill is an awe of his adversary.
“Those are Secretariat-type videos when you watch Bernardini pulling away from the rest of the field without being asked,” Lava Man’s trainer raved. “On sheer numbers Bernardini just towers over the rest of the field that has run in the U.S.”
Neil Milbert’s Breeders’ Cup Classic analysis
Saturday at Churchill Downs; 1 1/4-miles, 3YO and up; $5 million; Post: 4:20
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PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS COMMENT
3 Bernardini Javier Castellano 1-1 Has superstar credentials
11 Invasor Fernando Jara 5-1 East’s finest older horse 4 George Washington Mick Kinane 10-1 Foremost miler in Europe
8 Lava Man Corey Nakatani 6-1 Invincible in California
7 David Junior Jamie Spencer 10-1 Favorable European form
13 Sun King Rafael Bejarano 15-1 Keeps knocking on door
6 Perfect Drift Garrett Gomez 20-1 Geezer usually in money
12 Suave Kent Desormeaux 30-1 Seems to like Churchill
10 Flower Alley John Velazquez 30-1 Placed in 2005 Classic
9 Giacomo Mike Smith 30-1 Won 2005 Kentucky Derby
5 Lawyer Ron Pat Valenzuela 20-1 Upper echelon 3-year-old
2 Premium Tap Edgar Prado 30-1 Record is respectable
1 Brother Derek Alex Solis 30-1 Last race is intriguing
Juvenile Fillies
1 1/16 mile; 2YO fillies; Purse: $2 mil.
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Dreaming of Anna Douglas 4-1
2. Sutra Luzziaf 20-1
3. Cash Included Nakatani 3-1
4. Octave Gomez 6-1
5. She’s Included Espinoza 15-1
6. Bel Air Beauty Jara 8-1
7. Cotton Blossom Velazquez 10-1
8. Lilly Carson Velasqz 30-1
9. Adhrhythm Prado 12-1
10. Her Majesty Leparoux 10-1
11. Satulagi Egan 20-1
12. Appealing Zophie Brigmohan 10-1
13. Quick Little Miss Court 30-1
14. Gatorize Guidry 30-1
Juvenile
1 1/16 mile; 2YO C&G; Purse: $2 mil.
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Street Sense Borel 20-1
2. Stormello Desormeaux 6-1
3. Scat Daddy Velazquez 4-1
4. King of the Roxy Prado 12-1
5. C P West Bejarano 15-1
6. Principle Secret Espinoza 5-1
7. Great Hunter Nakatani 9-2
8. Teuflesberg Albarado 50-1
9. Circular Quay Gomez 5-2
10. Pegasus Wind Luzzi 15-1
11. Got Last Laugh Douglas 20-1
12. U D Ghetto Smith 50-1
13. Malt Magic Court 30-1
14. Skip Code Husbands 50-1
Sprint
6 furlongs; 3 YO & Up; Purse: $2.13 mil.
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Thor’s Echo Nakatani 10-1
2. Friendly Island Dominguez 30-1
3. Lewis Michael Douglas 30-1
4. Henny Hughes Velazquez 2-1
5. Areyoutalkintome Espinoza 30-1
6. Bordonaro Valenzuela 3-1
7. Nightmare Affair Prado 30-1
8. Pomeroy Castro 8-1
9. Too Much Bling Gomez 10-1
10. War Front Santos 12-1
11. Siren Lure Solis 10-1
12. Malibu Mint Kaenel 30-1
13. Attila’s Storm Velasquez 20-1
14. Kelly’s Landing Bejarano 20-1
Filly & Mare Turf
1 3/8 mile; 3 YO & Up; Purse: $2.2 mil.
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Dancing Edie Nakatani 30-1
2. Ouija Board Dettori 8-5
3. Mauralakana Leparoux 15-1
4. Film Maker Prado 6-1
5. Honey Ryder Velazquez 4-1
6. Quiet Royal Peslier 30-1
7. Wait a While Gomez 3-1
8. My Typhoon Albarado 20-1
9. Satwa Queen Thulliez 12-1
10. Germance Soumillon 12-1
Mile
Mile (turf); 3YO & Up. Purse: $2,17 mil.
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Ad Valorem Spencer 20-1
2. Silent Name Espinoza 20-1
3. Araafa Velazquez 9-2
4. Sleeping Indian Solis 20-1
5. Free Thinking Santos 15-1
6. Echo of Light Detton 10-1
7. Aragorn Nakatani 5-1
8. Badge of Silver Prado 12-1
9. Rob Roy Dominguez 15-1
10. Miesque Approval Castro 10-1
11. Super Frolic Bridgmohan 50-1
12. Gorella Leparoux 4-1
13. Librettist Soumillon 6-1
14. Aussie Rules Gomez 10-1
Distaff
1 1/8 mile 3 YO & Up; F&M. Purse: $2.2 mil.
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Round Pound Prado 15-1
2. Pine Island Castellano 5-1
3. Healthy Addiction Espinoza 10-1
4. Sharp Lisa Valenzuela 50-1
5. Lemons Forever Guidry 30-1
6. Spun Sugar Luzzi 10-1
7. Fleet Indian Santos 8-5
8. Baghdaria Bejarano 30-1
9. Pool Land Velazquez 10-1
10. Hollywood Story Flores 20-1
11. Bushfire Solis 30-1
12. Asi Siempre Leparoux 15-1
13. Happy Ticket Gomez 12-1
14. Balletto Nakatani 6-1
Turf
1 1/2 mile; 3 YO & Up. Purse: $3 mil
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Go Deputy Peslier 6-1
2. T.H. Approval Solis 15-1
3. Icy Atlantic Luzzi 30-1
4. Scorpion Kinane 6-1
5. Rush Bay Bejarano 20-1
6. Cacique Prado 4-1
7. Hurricane Run Soumillon 3-1
8. Better Talk Now Dominguez 12-1
9. Red Rocks Dettori 10-1
10. English Channel Velazquez 7-2
11. Silverfoot Guidry 30-1
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nmilbert@tribune.com
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